Ethiopian Informer
ADDIS ABABA (EI) — The African Union (AU) has deployed an election observation mission to monitor the conduct of Ethiopia’s upcoming seventh general elections, slated for June 1.
The 73-member AU Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to Ethiopia is led by the former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, the AU said in its arrival statement.
The mission, drawn from 37 African countries, comprised representatives from African ambassadors accredited to the AU, officials of election management bodies, members of civil society organizations, election experts, human rights specialists, gender and media experts, as well as representatives of youth organizations.
This came as the country finalized its preparations to hold its seventh general election on June 1, with voters primarily electing their representatives for the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR), the lower house of the parliament, as well as members for regional state councils.
More than 50.5 million voters have registered to take part in the election, slated for next Monday, while more than 52,000 polling stations have been established across the country. Some 47 political parties have registered their candidates, with more than 10,900 individuals contesting to secure seats in the HoPR and regional councils, according to National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE)
The AU mission said its observers will be deployed across different regions of Ethiopia to observe election-day procedures, including the opening of polls, voting, closing, and counting and tabulation at polling stations. The AUEOM is expected to release its preliminary statement on its findings and assessment of the conduct of the elections a few days after the general election, while a final and comprehensive report is expected to be published within two months after the elections.
The AU said its observers are expected to meet with Ethiopian authorities, including the NEBE, representatives of political parties, candidates, civil society organizations, and other election observation missions, among others.
